Caring For Those In Need

Support young people in need

Homelessness is on the rise in King County, with one in ten young adults becoming homeless by age 25. Depression, ADHD, prescription drug abuse, and dependency on illicit drugs have skyrocketed among teens, young adults, and families. Youth gun violence has been on the rise in our county for several years: we’re now witness to more gang activity than our region has seen in decades. Our State’s foster care system is in crisis, with too many kids being failed by the system with temporary housing and overloaded caretakers.

As the largest provider of housing for homeless young adults in King County, a licensed foster care agency, and a licensed mental health provider the Y has the expertise to tackle these issues.

How We Will Do It:

Provide social services for youth and families at every Y branch

Teh Y provides support and guidance from dedicated case workers for mental health, housing, and substance abuse issues to more than 4,000 families each year. Your support will help offer access to mental health services at each of our Ys so that young adults and families throughout the community can easily receive the counseling and support they need to be healthy in spirit, mind, and body.

Housing and support for young adults who’ve experienced foster care or homelessness

Young adults who have aged out of foster care typically leave with no support network, no money and — too often — nowhere to live, resulting in 1 in 5 foster youth becoming homeless. But it’s not just foster youth at risk. Young adults across socioeconomic backgrounds are being priced out of housing, with one in 10 young adults becoming homeless by age 25.

The Y provides 250 units of housing and helps former foster kids and homeless young people with employment, financial management, and other issues. Your support will offer additional housing, case managers, and preventative programs to stem the homelessness epidemic afflicting our community’s young people.